83,000 women benefit as Ogun registers over 3,000 affinity groups

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The Ogun State Government has registered 3,486 Women Affinity Groups under the World Bank-backed Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project, with about 83,664 women benefiting from various empowerment initiatives.

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The Special Assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Women Affairs, Augusta Araba, disclosed this on Thursday during the inauguration of project champions across four local government areas—Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ijebu Ode, and Sagamu. She added that the state targets the formation of 4,000 women’s groups under the programme.

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Speaking at the event, Araba described the inauguration of the project champions as a transformative step toward expanding economic opportunities for unbanked women.

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“Since the commencement of this programme in June 2023, it has continued to reshape the socio-economic landscape of the state through financial inclusion, enterprise development, community engagement, and various empowerment drives,” she said.

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Araba commended the project champions for their dedication and resilience, attributing the programme’s success to their grassroots mobilisation and advocacy.

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She highlighted their role in facilitating the training and engagement of 440 ward facilitators equipped with skills in financial literacy, digital inclusion, and enterprise development, aimed at breaking barriers to women’s economic participation.

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“The roles of the project champions remain pivotal to the success of the scale-up project. You serve as the link between the programme and grassroots communities, ensuring effective implementation and monitoring progress,” she added.

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Also speaking, the State Project Coordinator, Bolanle Fadairo, stressed the need for commitment and discipline among the project champions, noting that the success of the initiative depends on their dedication to its objectives.

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She urged them to remain focused and avoid actions that could undermine the integrity of the programme, describing them as key drivers of change in their communities.

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Fadairo further encouraged the champions to prioritise community development over personal interest and ensure that the programme’s benefits reach the most vulnerable women.

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The Head of Operations of the programme, Rasheed Ajibade, reflected on the pilot phase conducted between 2020 and 2023 in Odeda, Ijebu North East, Yewa North, and Ikenne Local Government Areas.

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He urged the champions to surpass previous milestones by strengthening grassroots engagement and ensuring that interventions deliver measurable impact.

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In his presentation, the Behaviour Change Communication Adviser, Taiwo Fredrick, emphasised that the sustainability of the initiative depends largely on the commitment of the project champions.

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He outlined their responsibilities to include field monitoring, advocacy, promotion of women’s affinity groups, and advancing financial inclusion within their communities.

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